Danica Patrick didn’t live the single life for long. Patrick recently confirmed rumors about the nature of relationship with her fellow NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. when she spoke with The Associated Press. “I have a boyfriend, his name is Richard,” she said during an exclusive telephone interview with AP. “I think I am just finally excited to tell someone about this,” Patrick laughed. Patrick, 30, announced that she and her husband Paul Hospenthal were divorcing back in November.

Stenhouse, 25, is one of NASCAR’s up and coming was the Nationwide Series rookie of the year in 2010. This season, Stenhouse and Patrick will compete against each other as they move up to NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series. Both drivers say that their relationship will not impact how they compete against each other on the track. “Obviously, we’ve been racing together for a couple years now, him and I have always gotten along, we’ve always had a lot of respect for each other on the track, there’s never been an issue out there,” Patrick said. “I always say I’ll race people how they race me until they do something to make me change my mind. I don’t anticipate that changing at all, or us having any issues on the track.”

“It won’t affect how I race on the track. I want to go out and win, I race everyone hard,” Stenhouse added.

The best part about this news for NASCAR executives is that this high-profile courtship is sure to lure more eyes to television sets this racing season.